Memory Mirage
by Videnda
Summary: "Honesty is the best policy." At least, that's what Naminé believes. But after a bizarre encounter with underhanded adversaries, she's forced to decide between a leap of faith or a lunge towards death.


** Naminé **

It was snowing in September.

Just yesterday, Naminé recalled breaking into a sweat within seconds of stepping outside. Today however, any evidence of the lingering summer heat was wiped away by the blustering winds.

The train progressively chugged along the tracks, bracing the heavy winds from the storm. Clusters of snow continued to fall, masking the outside surroundings like a sea of white bed sheets. The crowd of passengers were painted with identical faces of concern, and it was understandable, considering the Twilight Town trains had a meticulous reputation of punctuality. Doctors, lawyers, shop owners, and other respectable townspeople checked their watches every few minutes as if it would accelerate time. The students, who never missed a chance to celebrate a late arrival to school, sat in uncharacteristic silence. A single thought festered in the back of everyone's minds: It'd be a miracle if the train arrived on time-at all, even.

Strangely enough, she had seen it all before. Or, to be accurate, she had dreamt it. The heavy winds, thick blankets of white, and panicked people on a train… Everything was just as she had envisioned it, as if the storm was accurately mirrored with her dream. They had been more frequent these last few days, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing a larger piece of the story.

All of her anxious thoughts were soon dissipated, however, as the train gradually stopped at its designated spot in the station.

The passengers had forgotten the complexities of a September snowstorm and regained the ability of speech. The heavy mood had lifted and was replaced with sighs of relief and cheerful conversation. Naminé blended into the crowd of retreating passengers, immediately feeling a vibration in her right pocket. The blonde stood idly by a pillar as she scanned through the text:

_**Professor Zexion**_**: If you're not a complete idiot, you've noticed the obvious snowstorms in the area. Weather forecasts indicate that the storms will subside within half an hour; just to be safe, the start of school will be delayed for an additional hour and a half. Enjoy your newfound leisure time.**

'_I guess prof really does care,_' she smirked. Another text notification lit up her phone screen a millisecond later.

**Professor Zexion: By 'leisure time,' I mean studying for the major quiz you'll take immediately upon your arrival. Enjoy your leisure time! **

She inwardly facepalmed, having spoken too soon. Naminé chided herself for having such a foolish notion of the professor's obscure kindness.

_Errrruuggg. _

The girl blushed at the sudden roar of her stomach. With all the unexpected chaos of the morning, she had no time to even consider breakfast. Naminé quickly pocketed her device and began walking.

* * *

She found herself standing in front of a grand fountain. Though she was a frequent visitor to the Twilight Town Train Station, Naminé admittedly never explored this branch of it; she probably would have missed a chance to see it if it were not for the chanced snowstorm: The area was opposite of the usual path she took to get to school and she never gave it a second thought until now.

Despite the moderately early hours, there were sizable groups of people loitering around. A majority of them were classmates, nearly all of them chatting with food in their hands. She remembered her mission and scouted the area, her gaze lingering on a cozy looking café sitting at the edge of the building.

Paopu Café was was illuminated by little lanterns, which shone through the colored glass windows. An endless array of treats were neatly arranged under a glass display with equal refreshment options to match. The walls were coated with a sunglow shade: bright and bubbly, but not too intense to blind the eyes. Despite the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the station's traditional, ornate decor caused the little establishment to seem out of place.

"Are you coming in?"

A bright-eyed boy was looking at her from behind the counter. His golden hair was a tidy mess of spikes; it reminded her of a lion's mane, disheveled but distinguishing. His outfit was layered with a high collared black jacket. On top of that, he wore another white, checkered jacket with gray hems, and a crinkled red collar. His pants were made with a dark, jean like fabric and faded into a beige khaki material. He wore gray and black athletic shoes, a shoe model Naminé recognized to be the latest craze amongst her male classmates. If worn by anyone else, the ensemble wouldn't be as impressive. She had to admit he made it work somehow.

The unnamed boy cleared his throat and rephrased his previous question, "How long are you gonna stand there?"

Naminé blushed, realizing her late- or rather, lack of- a response. She recovered and answered, "As long as I want to."

Goldy locks shrugged. "If you like cold cookies," he pulled out a heated tray from the oven, "Take your time."

Naminé knew a challenge when she heard one, and she would not lose to the unnamed boy. Said stranger cocked an eyebrow, no doubt judging her questionable willpower. (Over cookies, no less!) Delightful scents of cocoa and coffee danced in the air, drawing circles around her by the door. She stood her ground, rooting herself to the entrance, but she was losing her grip by the second.

Another stranger appeared behind the counter, casually passing his indifferent co-worker. He was a lanky brunette who wore a serious expression; despite this, he radiated a warm and genuine aura. The newcomer exchanged several glances at Naminé and the shared station between him and the other employee before approaching her position by the door. She was ushered into Paopu Café like a mother duck prompting her duckling into the water.

"There, there, lost one," he patted her head like he would an obedient puppy. "You're safe from the storm." The boy seated her at an empty table for two.

"But _you_," He then flipped 180 degrees, glaring daggers at his nonchalant companion, "What gentleman would leave Naminé hovering by the door?" He shook his head. "Really, I thought you'd be better than this."

His comment triggered red flags and sirens in Naminé's mind: She hadn't told the boys her name.

Roxas facepalmed and gave the boy a "shut-up-and-let-me-handle-it" expression. His co-worker immediately scampered off, his face red as a tomato.

"Sorry," Roxas scratched the back of his head, "Demyx tends to be a little scatterbrained in the mornings."

Naminé smiled politely, contemplating on whether or not she should make a run for it. She calculated that her chances were little to none and decided against it. Might as well get something to eat. "No problem at all!" she assured him. "I'll just take three triple chocolate cookies to go."

"Good idea," Roxas nodded. "Add on some extra layers of fat to combat the cold."

"What was that?" Naminé demanded.

"I'll get them right away!" he answered cheerily.

Demyx appeared behind the counter, a cup of hot cocoa in his hands. "Sorry about earlier, Naminé," he said sheepishly. "Roxas and I are in the class across the hall, and he's always complimenting your art."

The golden haired boy stubbornly denied such claims as he prepped the order behind the counter.

"I almost forgot!" Demyx's eyes widened as he realized his error. "I made you hot chocolate as an apology."

She gently refused him several times, yet always found the cup back in her hands. At last, she was forced into a surrender. The lively brunette urged her to have a sip, and she complied, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

A feeling of warm delight tingled throughout her body as she consumed the rich, savory drink. She continued to drain the cup, pausing only to offer Demyx her praises.

"This is delicio-" Naminé gripped her head as her vision clouded. A clang sounded throughout the café as the cup crashed onto the floor.

"Naminé?" A blurred Roxas hovered over her. "Are you alright?"

She wanted to tell him everything was fine and that she'd be okay in a few minutes, but she couldn't force the words. Her throat tightened, restricting words from forming. Puzzlement turned to panic as her body made impact with the ground. Wasn't she sitting in a chair before?

The comforting feeling from the drink returned; this time, she recognized it as drowsiness. She fought to keep her eyes open, to scream for help, to just do _something. _

She heard the sound of shuffling feet to her left; her eyes locked onto Roxas. He met her gaze with a cold expression. "Sorry, Naminé," he muttered. She wasn't convinced that he was.

A new source of warmth formed around her waist as he hoisted her off the cold floor. What in the world was happening?

"Does it have to be her?" another voice asked. Demyx.

Her body betrayed her and she was abruptly immersed into darkness, left with nothing but confused thoughts and broken pieces.

She should've just stayed in bed.

* * *

**A/N: This is my first fanfic, so any comments, concerns, &/ critiques would be much appreciated! Thank you for reading this far and giving my story a chance. Stay golden.**

-Videnda


End file.
